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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 08/11/03 WS MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall August 11, 2003 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gary Pap~, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor Bonny Bettman, Jennifer Solomon, George Poling. Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting to order. A. ITEMS FROM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER Mr. Meisner requested a response to a question he had asked earlier in the year about cross- training Building and Permit Services inspectors. City Manager Dennis Taylor indicated that a response had been sent and he would ensure that Mr. Meisner received a copy. Ms. Nathanson arrived. Mr. Poling noted that Springfield and Eugene had adopted regional wastewater system development charges (SDCs) that were based on capital improvement plans with different planning horizons. City Manager Taylor indicated that the council would consider the issue again at a work session in September. Staff from the two jurisdictions would also meet to discuss the topic later in the month. Mr. Kelly had no items. Ms. Nathanson raised a concern about the dying trees near the Fern Ridge Bicycle Path, and asked what the projected tree loss was for such projects and if new trees would be replanted soon. She said she was disappointed to see the amount of trash along the path and creek and asked who had responsibility for cleaning up the paths. She asked if, for example, high school groups could adopt the paths to clean them up. Ms. Nathanson asked if there was a process for exempting streets from the need to build sidewalks on one or both sides under certain circumstances when reconstructed to City standards. Mr. Pap~ reported that he had been invited by the McKenzie River Trust to tour Green Island at the confluence of the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. The trust had purchased the island and intended to restore its natural habitat. He encouraged the council to tour the island if possible. Mr. Pap~ said that Ms. Nathanson, Mr. Meisner, and Mr. Taylor had accompanied him on a float trip of the Willamette River recently. He commended City staff for the clean river banks in Eugene and commended the new boat ramp. MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 1 Work Session Mr. Pap~ commended City management staff on its swift reaction to the recent allegations of misconduct by two police officers. Ms. Taylor asked what was being done to mitigate conditions at the areas around Amazon Pool that had been damaged by parking. Ms. Taylor agreed that the purchase of Green Island was wonderful and suggested that acquisition of other smaller parcels containing natural resource values was also important. Ms. Taylor called the council's attention to articles published in the August 10 edition of The Register-Guard regarding the use of tax breaks in Lane County and throughout the state. She encouraged the council to listen to the experts cited in the article. Ms. Bettman appreciated the letter from the General Services Administration (GSA) regarding an upcoming meeting on August 26 about accessibility issues at the new federal courthouse. She noted that she had requested the manager to develop a motion so the council could go on record supporting enhanced accessibility at the courthouse. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Kelly, moved to direct the City Manager to bring back to the council on Wednesday a letter from the council requesting that the federal government include a ramp in the front of the new federal courthouse. The letter should contain information similar to the letter on page 152 of the council packet. Mr. Kelly favored sending the letter. Mr. Meisner noted the action taken by the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations related to the ramp issue and reported that the GSA was scheduling a meeting later in the month for discussion of the issue. He encouraged any interested councilors to attend. Mr. Pap~ asked if it was true that the proposed ramp would be 210 feet long. Mayor Torrey indicated he was told that the ramp could be as long as 300 feet. Mr. Kelly informed Mr. Pap~ that it was not an uncommon thing for access ramps to total that in length but they did not consume that much area. The motion passed, 6:1; Mr. Pap~ voted no. Mayor Torrey asked what happened to the trees planted by the City in the natural area near Gilbert School that had died while other trees continued to live. Ms. Solomon arrived. Councilors congratulated her on the recent birth of her son Matthew. B.WORK SESSION: Police Commission Annual Report and Work Plan The council was joined by the Police Commission for their annual joint meeting. John Brown, Carla Newbre, Maurice Denner, Dr. Munir Katul, Tim Laue, and Andrea Ortiz of the Police Commission were present. Acting Police Chief Thad Buchanan and Police Commission staff Jeannine Parisi were also present. MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 2 Work Session Former Chair John Brown and former Vice Chair Carla Newbre reviewed the commission's annual report describing activities for fiscal year 2003. Mayor Torrey invited questions on the presentation to this point. Ms. Taylor asked how the department's pursuit policies had changed as a result of the commission's review. Mr. Laue responded that the commission had reviewed the department's pursuit policy with the intent of ensuring that the department made careful evaluations in determining if a pursuit was initiated at all. Paramount in the policy was protection of the public safety, and the commission recommended that the training emphasized that. Ms. Taylor asked if the commission had discussed pedestrian safety. Mr. Brown said yes, and noted the concerns voiced by residents about red light violations and speeding, which people had indicated they were very tired of. Ms. Taylor asked if Mr. Brown believed the commission should be an ongoing one. Mr. Brown said yes, and added he believed the money spent to support the commission was well-spent. Ms. Taylor asked if the commission would be needed if an external review board was formed. Ms. Newbre believed the answer to that question was yes, given that the commission's role was one of policy and resource review, which an external review board would not address. Mr. Kelly thanked the commission for its work. He regretted that the work plan item about drug use and its relationship to crime had been dropped and hoped it would be addressed in fiscal year 2005. Mr. Pap~ thanked the commission for its well-done report. He also thanked Ms. Parisi for her work. Referring to page 1 of the annual report, which mentioned a comparative analysis of multiple police departments' performance and staffing levels reviewed by the commission, Mr. Pap~ determined from Mr. Brown that the analysis confirmed the Hobson Report's recommendations. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~, Mr. Brown said that the public forums held by the commission indicated citizens had an ongoing dissatisfaction with excessive speeding in neighborhoods and red light violations. Ms. Ortiz added that people were happy with the job the department was doing. Mr. Taylor noted that traffic enforcement was a constant theme in such community surveys, and in this case that dissatisfaction led the commission to recommend that the Budget Committee adopt additional funding for that purpose. The committee had done so. Mr. Pap~ hoped the commission continued to look at resources and resource priorities in the future. Mr. Meisner thought the commission needed to be an ongoing standing body for the purpose of policy analysis. He said that the commission did considerable work for the council, saving it valuable time. He expressed appreciation that the commission had helped the Budget Committee focus on the increased need for traffic enforcement, and thanked the commission and department for helping to find a way to fund those positions without any further contribution from the General Fund. MINUTES -Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 3 Work Session Mr. Meisner noted that the legislation had improved a temporary increase in speeding fines and asked if the City would adjust its fines as well. Mr. Taylor indicated he would follow up. Mr. Meisner asked about the status of the recruiting process for the vacant police chief position. Mr. Taylor said that he had recently met with the recruiter and narrowed the field of candidates to be interviewed the following week. Mr. Meisner indicated support for the work program. Noting the anticipated reductions in the State human services system, he expressed hope that the commission would have the opportunity to stay aware of the impact of those reductions on police needs and resources, and to keep the council apprized. Incoming Chair Tim Laue and incoming Vice Chair Andrea Ortiz reviewed the commission's work plan for fiscal year 2004. Mr. Laue acknowledged the contributions of Acting Chief Buchanan and noted the contributions that Ms. Bettman and Ms. Solomon made to the commission as members. He also thanked outgoing commissioner Tom Kutchai for his service on the commission. Mayor Torrey solicited additional council questions and comments. Responding to a question from Ms. Nathanson regarding the focus of the commission's partnership with Downtown Eugene, Inc., Mr. Laue first clarified that the idea of a partnership came from a member of the organization, which had been looking for such partnership opportunities with the department for several years. He believed the focus was on the proactive efforts that form the basis of community policing. He did not think it represented a shift in department resources. Ms. Nathanson asked if the Police Commission worked with the Public Works Department on the streets selected for traffic calming, and what the public reaction was to those efforts. Mr. Laue said that the commission had met with staff from Public Works and the Neighborhood Program when discussing pedestrian safety. He believed that police cars were the best, most effective traffic calming devices available. Mr. Taylor added that the department had focused on traffic safety from the points of view of community education, engineering, and enforcement. Responding to a question from Ms. Nathanson about police misconduct investigations, Mr. Taylor said that the department took such investigations seriously and he believed the system worked. That did not mean there was not room for improvement, especially at the intake level. Ms. Nathanson thanked the commission for the report. Ms. Bettman said the Police Commission was an excellent body. She believed that Command staff was committed to working with the commission and the community. The commissioners were hard-working, prepared, and committed, as was staff. The subcommittee process worked well, adding to the commission's efficiency. She thanked the commission for its contribution. Ms. Bettman noted that the current legislature was considering legislation that would allow the City to collect a systems development charge for public safety. She believed that eventually, such a fee would be approved. MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 4 Work Session Regarding the issue of traffic safety, Ms. Bettman said that the commission looked at all aspects of the issue. She thought the commission's recommendations in the area of traffic safety had been both realistic and cost-effective. Mayor Torrey requested a priority listing of what worked as far as traffic calming was concerned. He noted that he had received several complaints about the chicanes that had been recently installed in the Polk Street area. Mayor Torrey asked if the commission planned an investigation of the experience of cities using the photo red light tool. He suggested it be tested at 7 p.m. at the Washington Street Bridge intersection. Mayor Torrey also noted legislation recently passed regarding school speeding zones and asked about the impact of those changes on Eugene. Mr. PapS, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, moved to approve the Police Commission's work plan. Ms. Nathanson, seconded by Mr. PapS, moved to extend time for the item by three minutes. The motion passed unanimously. Mr. Kelly expressed appreciation for the work plan item related to improving police-community interactions. He was particularly interested in the idea of more community outreach. Mr. Taylor also thanked the commission, calling it an important tool for the chief, himself, and the City Council. He thought the commission would be very useful when the new police chief assumed his duties. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. C.WORK SESSION: Stormwater Program and User Fee Increases Public Works Director Kurt Corey and City Engineer Mark Schoening joined the council for the item. Mr. Taylor recalled several work sessions the council held on the item and noted the motion tabled from July 16. The tabled motion to implement Scenario 1 would fund the Stormwater Program using the current service level assumption, leading to the need for the rate increase. He recommended that the council adopt the rate increase to maintain the program at its current level. While the program could live within the policy parameters of the existing program under Scenario 2, Mr. Taylor said that there were consequences and tradeoffs to reducing the amount budgeted in terms of the City's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Mr. Corey commended the materials prepared by Mr. Schoening and the effort of the Stormwater Management Team, which had developed the information now before the council. Mr. Corey acknowledged the council's many questions related to the program, to which staff had responded in the council materials. He believed that the program was efficiently run and noted that the Stormwater Management Team had considerable difficulty in reconciling program element reductions; many program elements could not be scaled back, and had to be eliminated. Mr. Corey did not think the City could meet its NPDES requirements with a reduced rate structure. MINUTES -Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 5 Work Session Speaking to the question of whether the program contributed to other City programs and activities, Mr. Corey said that there were activities within the program itself that could be funded by the General Fund if money was available. However, he thought the use of program funds in those areas were defensible. Speaking to the question of what a $6 million program would look like, Mr. Corey reported that the Finance Division had rolled rates ahead from 1993 when the program was focused only on flood control, and there was no Clean WaterAct or NPDES requirements. Those numbers, carried forward, indicated that today about $6.3 million would be generated for a flood control program. He concluded that the City was paying for that demand as well as all the other multiple objectives of the Comprehensive Stormwater Master Plan (CSWMP) with an additional $2 million annually. He reiterated that rates had not been adjusted in ten years. Mr. Corey believed that the current level of service, as contained within Scenario 1, was in line with the community's original program objectives, was defensible, and should be maintained. He said that scaling back the program would lead to lost opportunities and increased future costs to meet the same objectives the program was attempting to meet today. Mr. Corey noted community support for the record as evidenced by a survey conducted in March 2003. The survey indicated that more than 80 percent of the community was aware of the major program elements, such as street cleaning and leaf pick-up, 70 percent were aware of the West Eugene Wetlands Program, 40 percent were aware of the National Flood Insurance Program, and more than 60 percent of the community understood that the stormwater and wastewater system were separate. He reported that 40 percent of respondents indicated that the cost of the program was just right or too little; 25 percent indicated it cost too much; and 20 percent did not know. People were asked if they were satisfied with how the fees were being used; 40 percent indicated they were somewhat or very satisfied; 10 percent were dissatisfied; and 50 percent did not know. Mr. Corey clarified that the staff recommendation for Scenario 2 represented an answer to the question, "What was the minimum program level that could minimally meet the requirements of the NPDES permit?" He said that the recommendation should be interpreted as a minimum baseline. Without a rate adjustment to fund the current service level, program elements would be lost. The motion on the floor was as follows: Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to direct the City Manager to implement Scenario 1. Mayor Torrey called for debate on the motion. Mr. Kelly supported the motion because of the many service reductions that would occur to vital programs if the program budget was reduced as called for in Scenario 2. Mr. Pap~ did not support Scenario 1 because it was his perception that Scenario 2 provided adequate funding for program elements such as education and outreach. He did not understand why funds for land use development and review were in the program budget. He also thought the administrative component of the budget should be carefully scrutinized. Ms. Nathanson believed that the council had put huge pressure on other departments to economize and they had done so. In this case, she thought that the program needed to scale MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 6 Work Session back like other programs while the economy was so bad. For that reason, she could not support 100 percent funding for a number of different programs, including this one. Ms. Bettman supported the motion because of the vital programs that were funded. She noted that the council had insisted on increasing education regarding the program because it was resistant to regulation. Ms. Bettman thought that the program had economized, as evidenced from the fact the program had not experienced a fee increase in more than 10 years. During that time, the community had grown in population but the program had the same budget. She believed there would be more concern about the program during the wet season when people were worried about flooding. She thought that Mr. Pap8 had made a good argument recently for the program by pointing out that there was a time when there were no salmon in the part of the river adjacent to the city, and now salmon were being caught near Valley River Center. She thought the Stormwater Program was partially responsible for that fact. She said that the program enjoyed considerable public support and should be funded. Ms. Taylor agreed with the remarks of Mr. Kelly and Ms. Bettman. Mr. Kelly agreed that all programs should be asked to be efficient but pointed out that there was no reduction to either police services or fire services during the recent budget review process. While he did not disagree with that decision, he thought adequate funding for flood control, public health, and water quality was also important. Ms. Bettman noted that the Stormwater Program differed from programs such as the City's transportation program in that it had only one source of funding, through fees, so the department could not reprioritize expenditures and find money from other places. The motion failed, 5:3; Ms. Taylor, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Bettman voting yes. Mr. Meisner, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to direct the City Manager to implement Scenario 2. Mr. Meisner said that the City needed to find ways to deliver services in a cost-effective way. For example, he cited the costs of the river clean-up, which had more than tripled in the last year. He said there had been no fee increase in ten years because the fee was set too high initially, and reserves had been built to the point where the council had directed staff to spend the reserves on acquisition, a decision which he still questioned. Ms. Bettman stressed the link between the program and water quality, and said that reducing the program at this time was anti-environmental and signaled that the council did not care about the quality of the water. She thought that a big mistake, given that natural resources made Eugene unique and livable. Ms. Bettman said there was no public outcry regarding the fee. The council's discussion had been generated by the development industry. She thought reducing the program would have a dire impact on the quality of the community's water. Ms. Taylor said that reducing the program also affected the health of children in the community. The motion passed, 5:3; Ms. Taylor, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Bettman voted no. MINUTES -Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 7 Work Session There was a brief procedural discussion regarding the motion related to the stormwater fee increase that had been tabled on July 16. As Mr. Kelly could not recall his second, Mayor Torrey asked the Council President to offer a motion to the body. Mr. Pap~, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, to move the 50-cent fee increase to cover purchases of stormwater corridors. Mr. Kelly supported the fee increase because of the fact the fee had not been increased for ten years. He thought it reasonable to increase the fee to capture some of the water quality gains lost by the passage of the last motion. He pointed out that even if the motion passed, the fee would be only enough to purchase 40 percent of the high-quality corridors. Ms. Bettman said that research indicated it was less expensive to manage the stormwater system through the acquisition of corridors rather than through a piped system. She said that savings could be as high as 20 percent, and a modest investment now would have a significant return later. Ms. Nathanson supported the fee increase. She noted its relationship to the Rivers to Ridges Program as well as general livability. Ms. Nathanson did not think the council was gutting the Stormwater Program, which was budgeted at $8.5 million for fiscal year 2004. Ms. Taylor thought the council's initial decision to adopt the fee was made for sound fiscal reasons. The vote on the motion was a 4:4 tie; Ms. Nathanson, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Bettman voted yes; Mr. Meisner, Mr. Pap~, Mr. Poling, and Ms. Solomon voted no; Mayor Torrey cast a vote in opposition, and the motion failed on a final vote of 5:4. Mr. Meisner, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to repeal the fee increase. The vote on the motion was a 4:4 tie; Ms. Nathanson, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Bettman voted no; Mr. Meisner, Mr. Pap~, Mr. Poling, and Ms. Solomon voted yes; Mayor Torrey cast a vote in support, and the motion passed on a final vote of 5:4. D.WORK SESSION: Discussion Concerning Transportation System Maintenance Fee Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken and Springfield City Councilor Tammy Fitch were present for the discussion. Mayor Torrey noted that a County representative was invited to participate in the discussion no one could attend. He called for a council discussion of the transportation system management fee (TSMF). Ms. Nathanson regretted that people did not find a moratorium on the fee to be sufficient. She also regretted that people were "digging in their heels" on the issue. The road maintenance problem was severe, and when asked to collaborate on a solution, the County declined to do so. She said that given Springfield's repeal of the fee, she hoped to work with that community, the County, and any other interested parties on a resolution for transportation funding. She thought it necessary to do something within the year. MINUTES -Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 8 Work Session Ms. Solomon, a member of the Budget Citizen Subcommittee, which developed the recommendation leading to adoption of the TSMF, said the subcommittee had been balanced, reviewed the problem in a thoughtful and deliberative way, and made a reasonable recommendation for multiple sources of revenue to the council. The TSMF was one of many tools the City wanted to package for a predictable revenue source for transportation funding. Ms. Solomon said the TSMF could be smaller if the County would give Eugene more money. She pointed out that nine communities in Oregon had adopted such a fee without a problem. She believed the problems related to TSMF could be addressed and the fee tailored to Eugene. She was willing to address objections to the fee so the fee could be modified to be more palatable to its opponents. Ms. Solomon expressed concern that the County expected Eugene to repeal the fee before a funding solution had been found. She did not think that the County would negotiate with Eugene if their positions were reversed. She had heard no better option from the County and apparently the City would hear none until Eugene rescinded its fee. She did not believe the County would consider a countywide gas tax, noting three cities in the county had passed one already. The County would not increase the vehicle registration fee because the State had already done so. Ms. Solomon said that the federal dollars distributed by the County to the cities were not guaranteed after 2006, and given current forest management practices, the City would not realize the funding that had been received previously. She did not support a repeal of the TSMF but would support its postponement. Mr. Kelly indicated his concurrence with the Ms. Solomon's remarks. Repealing the fee would be to ignore the years of work done by the subcommittee and the council, as well as the community process that had occurred. He noted that no changes to the fee had been requested by the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce at the time of the fee's adoption. Mr. Kelly did not see why Eugene should repeal its fee before the County committed to an alternative funding solution. Mr. Kelly said that while there were not droves of citizens rallying to support the fee, they would rally to complain if the roads continued to degrade. The backlog would only to continue to grow if the problems were not addressed, leading to the need for even more money. He expressed interest in discussions with the County and Springfield on alternatives that yielded a sufficient amount of money. He would support a repeal of the fee when the City had an alternative, but was not willing to discard the fee without more information. Mr. Poling was not willing to have a TSMF unless both cities had a fee. Since Springfield had repealed the fee, Eugene should do the same to "level the playing field." He said that the elected officials of the three jurisdictions should demonstrate to the voters that the three bodies could work together. He said that the County should be given an opportunity to come up with a solution. Eugene could work toward its own solution if the County was unable to help to develop one. He did not think the fee as currently configured was equitable. Mr. Poling asserted that three members of the Budget Citizen Subcommittee had expressed concern about the way the fee was being implemented. Mr. Meisner expressed dismay that no County representative was present for the discussion. He supported a repeal of the fee at this time because once repealed by the voters, the council would lose the fee as a potential tool. Mr. Meisner noted that within their city limits, Eugene and Springfield have 60 percent of the population of Lane County, and an assessed value that almost precisely equaled that percentage. However, when one looked at expenditures for animal control or distribution of road funds, one MINUTES -Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 9 Work Session would assume the two cities do not exist in Lane County. If they wanted animal control, City taxpayers were required to pay twice for that service. He said the situation must be improved. Mr. Meisner hoped Eugene and Springfield were united when they negotiated with Lane County for a more fair revenue distribution formula. Mr. Meisner saw no merit to placing a moratorium on the fee. Ms. Bettman indicated interest in referring the fee to the ballot. She said that much energy was going into making the County a scapegoat. Certain commissioners were invited to attend and view the discussion rather than participate in it, and she speculated that they were watching on TV. Ms. Bettman said that the City was co-dependent with the County and received "tens of millions of dollars" from the County in Road Fund dollars that City staff and a council majority preferred to allocate to new expenditures rather than spend on operations, maintenance, and preservation. She wanted more County money but she also wanted to prioritize currently allocated dollars to fund operations, maintenance, and preservation of the existing system. She said that the existing system should be preserved before new projects were done. Ms. Bettman said she opposed the fee from the beginning. If the council was to assess the fee, it should place the fee in front of the voters. She would support the fee if it was supported by the voters. Ms. Bettman said her concern about the current process was her fear that the Chamber of Commerce was bluffing through its threat to put the fee on the ballot because it wanted the City to back off from the way that it was administered, and the result would be a modified fee that would transfer the burden from businesses to residents. Ms. Taylor noted her own opposition to the fee. She did not think the council had adequately talked with the County about transportation funding. She agreed with Ms. Bettman's comments about the need to fund operations, maintenance, and preservation. She also agreed with Mr. Meisner about the potential the fee would be repealed. She supported repealing the fee and called for discussions with Springfield and Lane County. Ms. Taylor also favored placing a moratorium on any new construction until the community could afford it. Mr. Pap~ indicated his concurrence with Ms. Solomon and Mr. Kelly. He said that he had discussed the issue with County commissioners and urged their action. In fact, the council postponed action pending a solution from the County. He said that from past history he had little faith in what Mr. Poling hoped would occur. Mr. Pap~ endorsed the community process that led to adoption of the TSMF and noted the large funding backlog that existed. He did not like the TSMF but thought the City needed to get at the problem in some way. He had heard no other solutions that people supported. Mr. Pap~ suggested that a "bird in the hand was worth two in the bush," and that the fee should be retained until a viable alternative was proposed. Mayor Torrey said that he had not initially supported the TSMF because he had wanted to work with the County and Springfield on alternative methods of generating revenues. However, in October 2002 the Board of County Commissioners had indicated unwillingness to discuss the issue. For that reason, he supported going forward with the TSMF. He acknowledged the fee was a tax that cost residents money. However, he pointed out that all those discussing the issue acknowledged the need that existed. There was a cost associated with transportation that must MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 10 Work Session be addressed. He supported Ms. Nathanson's suggestion for a moratorium as a way to defuse the issue for a period of time so discussions could occur. Mayor Torrey recalled that he and Mayor Leiken had both suggested in their state of the city addresses that the fee could be repealed if the County was prepared to work with the two cities in melding the revenues available from all sources for road maintenance. He said that citizens do not care about how the services were delivered, and he suggested the jurisdictions get together to make the best use of the limited resources that they had. Mayor Torrey called for a second round of comments. Ms. Nathanson said that the challenge was for the three jurisdictions to work cooperatively, which they did last year and could do again. She indicated she was looking for the County to work with the City to develop and implement a permanent solution, which she anticipated would include a package of revenue sources. She said the preconditions for such a solution for her was that it must provide a level playing field between the two communities, the fee formula must be equitable, and the solution must have a cap. Mr. Kelly did not share Mr. Poling or the mayor's optimism about the elected officials working together. He asked what was changed from previous discussions. Speaking to Mr. Meisner's comments that if the council did not repeal the fee it would be referred, Mr. Kelly said that he did not disagree, but expressed concern that someone could hold a press conference and state they were taking something to the ballot, and the council would begin to shy away from such decisions. He said that the council was trying to run a representative government. Mr. Kelly quoted from an editorial published in a December 2002 edition of The Register-Guard, which stated that no one would be happy paying the fee, but that people would be even more unhappy paying the long-term cost of letting city streets deteriorate further. Mr. Poling said that he did not consider the County's demand that the City repeal the fee to be the main issue. He did not find the "threat very threatening to me." Mr. Poling said that the council needed to level the playing field between Eugene and Springfield by repealing the fee. If the commissioners could not help develop a solution, they would not look good to the voters. He thought the three jurisdictions could work together on an equitable solution. Ms. Bettman said that business argued that the fee was too burdensome to business. She reiterated that she was not interested in modifying the tax so that a greater burden was placed on homeowners. Statewide, the tax burden had been shifted away from businesses to residents so that residents were paying 60 percent of all taxes. Mr. Pap8 suggested that the "playing field could be leveled" if Springfield reinstated the fee. He believed that there was plenty of motivation for the three bodies to have worked together over the last two years but that had not happened. Mr. Pap8 agreed that there were elements of the fee that could be changed to make it more fair. Mayor Torrey said he had suggested to the Board of County Commissioners that if the board would place a countywide measure to equitably distribute road funds throughout the county, he would ask the City Council to refer the TSMF to the voters of Eugene. However, he did not think the City should automatically repeal the fee without action from the County. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 11 Work Session Dennis Taylor City Manager (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES-Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 12 Work Session